Life After Lily
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: AU. Severus shows up at Petunia's doorstop with Harry on November 1st.


**Title:** Life After Lily  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Petunia/Severus, Harry  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 990  
 **Summary:** AU. Severus shows up at Petunia's doorstop with Harry on November 1st.

 **Notes:**

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry:** Daily Prompt Inspiration Thread - (pairing) PetuniaSeverus

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **A Study of Magical Healing - Task - Write about the effect bad memories can have on a person.

* * *

On November 1st, Petunia opened the door and was gobsmacked by the sight of who stood before her. "Snape," she sneered. She'd never forget that face. Even as a kid, he would always look like he was sucking on a lemon, and that face hadn't changed in the years.

She glanced at the baby in his arms. The child's eyes were open, and the eyes told her who the child was. "That's my nephew?"

Snape nodded. "Lily and Potter are dead."

Her heart clenched, and she silently stepped aside to allow him entry. "What's going to happen to him?" she asked, gesturing to the baby.

Snape held the baby securely to his body. "Black has been arrested as the one who told the Potters' location, and the next person who is supposed to take Harry is you."

Petunia stared at the baby. She had always dreamed about having her own child, but when it was discovered she wouldn't be able to get pregnant, Vernon had divorced her. She had been left with nothing. Nothing except Lily.

No matter what Petunia did to push her sister away, Lily held on hard and somehow, despite the war brewing in the magical world, the girls had regained their relationship.

And now, Lily was gone. Taken by a world that had never allowed Petunia. And all that was left of Lily was an innocent baby. She opened her arms, and Snape gently transferred Harry to her.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'll take care of you. I'll treat you the way Lily would want me to treat you," she promised to the wide-eyed baby.

She thought that would be the last she saw of Snape, but he turned up every day. It was supposedly to check up on her, to make she was treating Harry right. His exact words were "I remember how much you detested magic. And I won't let you take your hatred out on him."

Still, Petunia saw something in his gaze. And one day, more than a month later, she called him out on it. "What's the real reason for you always stopping by?"

Snape looked pained. "I have no one. I'm all alone. You and Harry are my only connection to Lily, and I guess I don't want to lose that."

She rocked Harry gently as she searched Snape's eyes. His words rang true to her ears, but there was something else he wasn't telling her. "What else?"

Snape was silent until Petunia put Harry in his bouncy chair. The baby would be content for at least an hour in that thing. "It's my fault," he finally whispered.

She looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?" Surely, he couldn't mean what she thought he meant. It was the Dark person's fault for killing Lily. And it was Black's fault for selling them out. Snape didn't have anything to do with it. He couldn't have!

"I was a Death Eater at first, and I heard a prophecy, or at least part of a prophecy, and I told it to the Dark Lord. He thought it referred to one of two boys: either Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom. And he chose to go after Harry, and that's why Lily's dead! I tried to save her by going to Dumbledore for help, but even he couldn't stop the inevitable from happening. It's my fault Lily's gone! It's my fault Harry won't know his mum! It's my fault you don't have a sister anymore! It's my entire fault!"

He collapsed to the ground, and his shoulders shook from silent sobs. Petunia stared at him. She never saw this side of Severus—he was now Severus; she could never think of him as Snape again—the man was usually so stoic.

She knelt down and rested a hand on his shoulder. She kept silent when he clutched her, his grief pouring out of him in waves.

Petunia rubbed his shoulder blades. She wasn't sure how she felt about his revelation, but she didn't think she could blame him for Lily's death, not when he was obviously blaming himself.

That night, Severus stayed over in the guest room. She didn't have the heart to make him leave. And she was woken up in a fright by screams.

She rushed out of her bedroom, into the guest room, and stood still at the sight of Severus thrashing on the bed. His eyes were closed as he screamed Lily's name and pled for her to forgive him.

She listened for Harry and was thankful she didn't hear any crying from the nursery. Petunia climbed onto the bed and took Severus in her arms.

In his sleep, he held onto her nightgown as if it was a lifeline, and she didn't have time to feel embarrassed by how underdressed she was.

Severus needed her, and she would be there for him. She liked to believe Lily would want her to take care of her once best friend.

The next morning, when they woke up intertwined with each other, neither of them said anything about it.

And when the same thing happened in the following days, it was never verbally acknowledged.

Severus came to depend on Petunia, and in return, Petunia came to depend on Severus. Together, they worked to raise Harry. Petunia taught him about the non-magical world while Severus handed his magical education. They both told him about his mother, but Petunia hadn't known James that well and Severus had only bad memories, so they agreed to invite an old friend: Remus Lupin.

And when things progressed from friendship and companionship to something more, neither of them was surprised as it felt so natural.

Petunia and Severus may not have always liked each other, but with Lily's death and their need to make sure Harry was raised the right way, they had come to love each other.

And maybe that was the way it was supposed to be.


End file.
